We All Need a Villain Sometimes
by tukct81
Summary: Post 3x15 episode. I was angry that once again Damon is the bad guy for doing what is necessary, so I wrote a cathartic exchange between Stefan and Elena. Currently a one shot, but I may expand it if I get enough positive feedback.
1. Chapter 1

**I was so angry at last night's episode. I expected Elena to apologize, be sorry, something, but she only pissed me off more. Who says get over it after they say something they don't mean. The only highlight of the episode was the Damon/Stefan scene at the end. I was so touched by what Damon did for Stefan. He is clearly the better person. I was inspired by the episode, and so I wrote this instead of my latest update for **_**Setting Things Right.**_

I drive up to the boardinghouse fuming in righteous anger. My best friend might never speak to me again and it was his fault. A part of me knows that Damon turned Bonnie's mother to protect me, but that doesn't alleviate my indignation or more importantly my guilt. Once I walk through the door that I slam shut, I see Stefan sitting by himself on the couch staring off into the fireplace. I almost stop to ask him what is on his mind before I remember that I am on a mission. "Where is he," I ask Stefan, my voice rising with every word?

"Not here I'm afraid. He went out to get some more blood bags half an hour ago. Feel free to wait for him." Stefan answers while gesturing towards the couch, indicating that I should sit. "Some time might help you let go of some of that anger," he replies uncharacteristically calm.

I study Stefan for a moment briefly puzzled. This isn't the same vampire that has been terrorizing Mystic Falls the past few weeks with his rash actions. Stefan doesn't appear jittery or angry, and the mask of indifference that he has been wearing for months appeared to be fading. The man before me seems quieter, more in control, and dare I say it broodier. His telltale worried vampire look has reappeared. It is a relief to see it again. For the first time since Stefan left, it feels like he is home again. This realization does not however help me forget my reason for coming. After I stop staring, I tell Stefan, "I think I'll hold on to my anger for a while. It seems I've earned it."

"That might be so, but don't think for a moment that Damon hasn't earned his own anger in all of this," Stefan counters. "Let's not forget that it was our insistence that Damon stop caring so much that led him down this path. He's acting like his old self again and we have no one but ourselves to blame." My shoulders slump and I quickly look away from Stefan's judging eyes. The truth of his words wash over me, and the guilt comes rushing in. Stefan sees my despair and takes pity on me. "It should be some comfort to know that regardless of his cavalier attitude lately, Damon is still holding onto his humanity," Stefan assures me.

"How can you know," I question in a much quieter tone? "Damon acts like he doesn't care what I think anymore, just like before." Sadness gradually replaces the anger in my voice. "He slept with Rebekah to hurt me, and he just turned my best friend's mother into a vampire. I'd say he's taking a vacation from caring for a while."

Stefan smirks, apparently amused by something I've said. "I thought you of all people were smarter than to fall for that act. I know my brother, better than anyone. He still feels, more deeply than anyone truly knows. Despite our deception at the ball, Damon is still determined to protect us. Not that we deserve it," Stefan replies bitterly. He abruptly stands up and turns his back to me and resumes his gazing at the fireplace. His own guilt has clearly taken root in him. I don't know whether to be relieved or worried.

"What do you mean protect us," I ask obviously confused? "Damon turned Abby to protect me. What did he do to protect you," I wonder?

Stefan's guilt grows by the second until he is drowning in it. I worry that all the negative emotions will convince him to turn it off and give up, but he stays strong. "Damon turned Abby to protect me too. He knew that you would hate whoever turned her, so we flipped a coin. Whoever lost had to turn Abby and whoever won had to distract Bonnie. I lost," Stefan confesses shame evident all over his face.

I start putting the pieces together, and I realize, "Damon turned Abby anyway, so you wouldn't have to, so I wouldn't hate you." Tears start forming on my face, and they fall before I can stop them. "Why, why was it so important that I hate him and not you," I demand my voice breaking as I speak?

"Guilt can be a powerful motivator Elena," Stefan states as if that explains everything. "After that night on Wickery Bridge, I felt guilt and shame like I have never experienced before. You are the woman that I love, and I hurt you the worst. That shame stayed with me all this time, and it helped me find the strength to abstain from human blood," Stefan explains. The realization of what Stefan says dawns on me. His sudden change of attitude now makes perfect sense. The blood isn't controlling him any longer. He's free.

The gears start turning in my head as I make sense of the last piece of the puzzle. "Damon was worried that me hating you would push you over the edge again," I deduce. Stefan makes no moves to deny it and simply nods his head. "He kept his promise," I whisper mostly to myself.

"What promise," Stefan inquires? I occasionally forget how much he still doesn't understand about what happened when he was gone. There were a thousand moments that I could never explain, not even to myself.

"After you left, Damon promised me that he would drag you back from the edge and deliver you back to me. He sacrificed his chance with me to keep that promise, because he thought he needed to, because he thought I needed you more than I needed him," I realize hopelessly. What Damon doesn't know is that he is wrong. I never could have survived the last several months without him. I shouldn't be surprised that Damon doesn't grasp how much I need him. I have done everything in my power to convince him that I don't care. Stefan was right; Damon has every reason to be mad at me. My heart breaks at the realization.

Stefan starts talking calmly again, either to me or to himself, I still don't know. As the words come out he seems lost in another world far far away. "All our lives Damon has played the part he thought was assigned to him, the villain, the bad boy. He stepped up when I left, because he knew that you needed him to be a good man. You needed someone who cared about you. Now that I'm getting back to my old self, he thinks that you need him to be the villain again. In his mind, someone has to save us from our bad decisions. Someone has to be the bad guy to protect everyone. It's tragic in a way, when you realize his actions are nobler than ours. It's easy to be the good person that everyone loves. It's much harder to be the person that everyone needs but hates," Stefan concludes. After a moment, he puts down the drink he's been holding and leaves me to wait in solitude. I'm not sure if he leaves because he can't stand to be around me or himself, but I let him go all the same. I can't help Stefan now, I never could. Damon was the only person who truly understood him, and in the end it appears he was the one to save Stefan from himself. At least I was right about something.

I spend a few minutes wallowing in self-loathing until I vow to pick myself up and do something about it. I don't like the person that I'm becoming. Cold, manipulative, cruel, these are adjectives used to describe Katherine, but lately they apply to me too. I was becoming the one person I loathed the most. I took out my cell phone and texted Damon to meet me at my house in 20 minutes. No matter how mad he was at me, I knew he would still show if I asked him to. I was done taking that for granted.

**Please review. I may expand this story if I get enough positive feedback.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was so blown away with the response to this story that I knew I had to continue. I know I will have at least one more chapter, but I don't know about after that. I wanted to thank all the people who reviewed the first chapter. It means so much hearing your guys' comments, not just about the story, but about the show in general. It is nice to hear other people vent about things on the show that bug me. For some of you who had concerns that this is a little out of character, you are absolutely right. I write stories the way that I wish they would work out on the show. Elena and Stefan can be too self-righteous and judgmental on the show. I try to tone down that in my writing. It would annoy me too much to write them exactly in character. Anyways, here is the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy.**

After hanging up the phone, I leave the boardinghouse, race home, and try to practice an epic apology speech in my head. When I pull up to the house, I notice Damon is already patiently waiting for me on the porch. A surge of happiness goes through me. Nothing could be more perfect than Damon and I having this conversation on the porch. It was always our special place. This porch was the home to dozens of moments that define our relationship, moments filled with forgiveness, longing, and understanding. The poetry of it all makes me smile.

Damon on the other hand, looks anything but happy. When I walk up, his eyes glare back at me, void of all emotion, empty. He doesn't look happy, sad, or even angry. Elijah's warning to be careful what I wish for is echoing in my mind. I told Damon he cared too much, and he chooses this to be the one time he listens to me. I huff out in frustration and Damon misinterprets my anger. His cold detached voice cuts through to my soul. "If you're here to yell at me, get in line. I think your witchy friend called dibs on hating me today. I'm afraid vampire mother trumps hurt feelings," Damon declares not even bothering to look me in the eyes.

This is going to be a lot harder than I originally thought. Damon has a wall built up around him, and until I break through, he is never going to hear me, let alone believe me. I take a seat next to Damon on the porch swing, and I grab his hand in mine. He flinches away and my heart aches with the rejection, but I resolve to let it go and explain myself. "I'm not here to yell at you Damon. I'm here to apologize," I clarify.

Surprise passes over his face for the briefest moment, but the apathy quickly returns replacing it. "You're a day too late for apologies Elena, and I'm really not in the mood," Damon states, the only emotion filling his voice being bitterness and resentment. My only consolation is that hurt and angry is better than uncaring. I must be doing something right. However, this is little comfort when Damon stands up and starts walking over to the railing. Apparently, he can't even stand to be near me anymore. I make no moves to go towards him. I figure he needed the space for a reason. The distance makes it harder to hear his next words that he utters in an almost whisper. "You wanted to be free of me. You wanted to make your own decisions. Consider this me finally respecting your wishes. I'm letting you off the hook. Ride off into the sunset with Stefan or Matt or some guy that you haven't even met. You don't have to worry about me anymore." He finally turns around and looks me square in the eyes. I can tell the next part he wants me to remember. "All I ask in return is that you stop. Stop apologizing. Stop grabbing ahold of me every time you feel lost or lonely. Stop checking to make sure I'm okay. Just stop." I'm not sure if he realizes that he's yelling or if he just doesn't care, but he turns away again when he sees the tears in my eyes.

The significance of his words aren't lost on me. He's letting me go, and he's asking me to do the same. My voice cracks with emotion, but I am determined to keep going. "I never asked to be let go. I never asked to be free of you," I tell him.

Damon returns to glaring at me with daggers shooting out of his eyes. "Are you kidding me right now? All you have done for the past year is tell me, ask me, and practically beg me to let you go. You may not have uttered those exact words, but your sentiment is unmistakable. I tell you I love you, and you throw it back in my face to win an argument. What reason could you have for wanting me to hold on? Are you that cruel, that vindictive? My sins may be numerous, and the worst ones are against you, but I don't think even I deserve this."

His anger appears to be dying down, and it is replaced by a heart breaking sadness. He truly believes every word. Damon thinks I am punishing him. He continues tearing me to pieces, and I can't think of a single word to say in my defense. His last question cuts deeper than all the others. It's a wonder I don't shatter into pieces. Damon's voice cracks as he tells me, "I want to be happy in this life. I want someone to love me back, just once in my long eternity. Do you hate me so much that you would deny me a chance at happiness, because I can't be happy while I'm pining hopelessly for you?"

I just sit on my porch staring at my feet in shame. Tears are covering my face, and I realize I must look like a mess, but I can't find the strength to care. Damon takes my silence as an unspoken answer to his question, and with one last look, he walks away. The silence grows louder than any noise ever could until it is deafening. I move like a zombie up to my room, and throw myself on my bed. Just as I'm about to decide to crawl under the covers and never leave, I notice my journal and a pen lying next to me. This sparks what may well be my last good idea and my last hope. I tear out a page and start writing, because words are all I have left. They are my only chance of explaining myself. The words that escaped me on the porch this afternoon come pouring out onto the page. It is easier to explain myself when Damon isn't staring back at me reminding me of my worst mistakes.

I finish the letter and drive over to the boardinghouse. Stefan is once again sitting in the living room as if he had never left. If he notices that I've been crying, he has the courtesy not to mention it. With an extreme case of déjà vu, I ask where Damon is. "Not here again," Stefan responds. "He might be out late, and I don't want you to wait all night." I study Stefan's expression, and I wonder whether Damon is really out, or if he just told his brother that he didn't want to talk to me. The answer doesn't matter in the end, and I leave the letter on the table and beg Stefan to see that Damon reads it. He nods in agreement, and I slink off to resume my pity party and my emotional self-flagellation. I swear that I hear a pair of footsteps moving upstairs, but I choose ignore it and drive home.

There is nothing more that I can do now. Either Damon forgives me or he doesn't. I poured my soul into that letter, and if it doesn't work, than no amount of pleading ever will. If he doesn't forgive me, than I know I have to abide by his request. I have to let him go. Damon was right. For the past year, I kept him at a distance, and I pulled him close whenever he strayed too far. It was the epitome of cruel, and one way or another things were going to change.

**Please submit any review good or bad. I love feedback.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I just wanted to say that I am changing the point of view for this chapter. It just makes sense, since I wanted to show Elena's letter, and more importantly Damon's reaction to it. I also wanted to thank my reviewers again. I have gotten almost as many reviews in two chapters of this story as I have in ten chapters of my other story, so I love you guys.**

DPOV

I hear Elena shut the door, and I let out an unnecessary breath of air. Every instinct in my body is telling me to race after her, but I fight it because I'm tired of being weak. I can't keep chasing after women who don't want me. After 146 years, it's getting pathetic.

Before my self-pity takes hold, Stefan appears in my bedroom holding the infamous letter from Elena. My first thought is to throw it into the fireplace. My second is to jump out the window before Stefan can engage me in another brotherly heart to heart. While I'm appreciative he covered for me with Elena, Stefan and I have reached our limit of brotherly bonding for the month. Anymore and there might be hugging involved. The thought makes me shudder. As I'm distracted, Stefan thrusts the letter into my hands, and he jokes, "you've got mail." The joke catches me off guard, since I don't think Stefan has said anything funny since 1987.

I jerk my hand back as if the letter is laced with vervain. "You're wasting your time. I don't want to read it," I claim backing away carefully. "Nothing in that letter will change anything. All it will do is alleviate Elena's guilt over treating me like crap. Forgive me if I don't want to give her the satisfaction," I respond with venom laced in my voice.

Stefan stares back with a mixed look of pity and understanding. Neither of which are emotions that I need right now. Emotions are what got me into trouble in the first place. I care too much. I remember bitterly. I fleetingly think that Stefan had the right idea flipping the switch, none of those pesky feelings getting in the way, nothing that could hurt you. Then I remember that it only took Elena a few weeks to turn Stefan from a soulless ripper douche back to a boring bunny eating vampire. I wouldn't last a week. One look at her big brown eyes, and I would be helping old people cross the street and adopting puppies. It was too late for me. I already am pathetic. The realization does nothing to improve my mood. I take a seat on my bed and lie down pondering how I got so whipped by an 18 year old girl, and not in a good way.

Stefan takes a seat beside me and places the letter on my chest. He makes his best attempt at brotherly advice, and he does it so well, I begin to question who the big brother in this relationship is. "The way I see it you've got two options," Stefan begins. "You can either A) read the letter and accept Elena's apology, like we both know you want to, or B) you can read the letter and decide that it isn't enough. If it's not enough, then you need to know that that's okay." Stefan put his hand on my shoulder as he speaks as if to drive home his point. We never talk like this, not anymore. Most conversations between us involve insults, sarcastic comments, or fist fights. This is the first moment in over 146 years that I feel like I have my brother back. I smile weakly at him, and to my surprise he smiles back. I never thought the first person to get my brother to smile again would be me. A sense of pride swells in my chest at the small victory.

This feeling is only briefly enjoyed, when I realize Stefan still has more to say. Elena's attempt at contrition must have put Stefan in an apologizing mood, because his next words are entirely unexpected. "I'm sorry," he whispers appearing truly remorseful. I stare at him puzzled as to what he is apologizing for. Seeing as how I can't actually read minds, I decide to let him continue without my special brand of commentary. "I know that I said Elena was better off without you, but I didn't mean it. I was angry, not at you, but at myself. For so long, I thought of myself as the good brother, and I cast you as the villain. It was easier that way, to see things in black and white. I tried to make myself morally superior to you to make myself feel better. After all the terrible things that I've done, it was reassuring to believe that I was at least a better person than my big brother. All that you've done in the past few months is prove to me how wrong I was. I couldn't accept that when I had failed, you had risen to the occasion. I blamed you for my failures and for that I'm sorry. No matter what happens or doesn't happen with you and Elena, you need to know that you deserve to be happy. If that's with Elena than I can learn to live with that, and if it isn't than you need to find someone who will. But before you make any decisions, you need to read this letter. If you don't, you'll spend eternity asking yourself what if."

The mood in the room is thick with tension, and Stefan attempts to break it with a little humor. I might be a little more impressed with two jokes in one day, if he hadn't have stolen the second one from me. "You already live with too much regret, why add to the list," Stefan says with a smile, echoing the sentiment that I had expressed the other night.

He leaves my room without another word, and I'm left alone with nothing but the mysterious letter to occupy my thoughts. My hands tug at the envelope. I gently rip open the top and take out the letter from within. With a heavy sigh, I start reading and I swear I can almost hear Elena's voice ringing in my ears.

_My Dearest Damon,_

_ Since I was 11 years old, I have used my journal to make sense of the world. Its pages felt like the last safe place left in an unsafe world. Within its pages, I could be brave and fearless, and express things that I dared not even whisper aloud. I hope that by using pages from my safe haven, that it will help me be brave. _

_I need you to know that no words could ever express how sorry I am for how I've treated you, but I'm afraid words are all I really have. My sincerest hope is that I can use these words to help you understand, and that through your understanding, you can find it in your heart to forgive me. _

_I didn't say anything on the porch this morning, not because I didn't want your forgiveness, but because I couldn't think of a single reason for why I'd earned it. But I realized today that you don't forgive someone because they deserve it. You forgive them because they need it. I need you to forgive me, because I need you. If I ever made you feel differently, it was only because I was scared. Scratch that, I was terrified. That fear was my excuse for pushing you away. Everyone thinks I'm so courageous because I'm willing to face down originals and vampires and hybrids, but the truth is I'm a coward. I may not fear death, but cowardice takes many forms, and there are worse things in life than mere death. Things like loss. People who have never experienced it could never appreciate its crushing pain. But after all that you have suffered in your long life, I figured you would understand my fear better than anyone. _

_That night when I found out about your werewolf bite. A fear took hold of me, and it never really let go. I realized that I was terrified of losing you, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how it had happened. I didn't know when I started to need you, when I started to crave your company, your flirty comments, or your arrogant smirk, but I recognized in that moment that I would do anything to save you. _

_As much as it hurt losing Stefan, I was so grateful to him for leaving with Klaus, because a life without him was not near as painful as a life without you. Caroline told me once in an attempt to cheer me up that what Stefan did to me was the worst case scenario of my life, and if I could survive that than I could survive anything. She should have been right. The man that I loved left me, was cruel to me, fed on me, terrorized me, and acted like he didn't give a damn about me. That should have been the worst possible tragedy of my life, but I knew that there was a prospect even worse. A pesky thought was plaguing my nightmares that there was still something that could crush me, that nightmare was losing you. I realized that while I loved Stefan, I didn't need him. I could survive losing him. With you at my side, I knew I could survive anything. Losing Stefan wounded me, damaged me, but it didn't break me. Only you could do that, because I don't just need you, I love you._

_I love you more than I have ever loved anyone, and that love is all consuming and powerful and overwhelming. I let it overwhelm me. I worried that a fire that burned that hot would burn itself out, and I used that fear as an excuse. I was afraid that if I gave myself to you that you would realize that I wasn't worth it. For years, people have put me up on this pedestal. They think that I am some paragon of virtue, and they carry around this idyllic image, but it isn't real. I make mistakes. I fail sometimes. I can be selfish and cruel and self-centered. You understand that better than most people ever do. You didn't just see the best parts of me. You saw all of me. From the first time I met you, I bore witness to the best and worst parts of your nature. You never tried to hide them from me or apologize for them. I admire that bravery that I never possessed. _

_I can't promise that it won't be hard and I can't even promise that it will last, but I love you Damon Salvatore. I love every part of you, and in spite of what I may have said in the past, I would never want to change you. You make difficult decisions so the rest of us don't have to. People may not always appreciate you for it, but I will always love you just a little bit more for that strength. After all that you have done for me, I must ask you one more favor. I wish for your heart in exchange for mine. It's all that I have left to give, and if it's not enough, I'll leave you alone forever. But if it is, I will love you for the rest of my days. My choice is you._

_Love Always and Forever,_

_Elena_

**As Always, Please Read and Review**


	4. Chapter 4

My hands tremble holding the two delicate pieces of paper. After I reread her words for the sixth time, I place her letter on the bed and run my hands through my hair. Millions of thoughts race through my mind; rational thought battles for control against irrational feelings. The eternal struggle between what the heart wants and what the brain says is prudent.

My heart tells me that the woman that I love bore her soul to me. She let me peer into her heart. Through her letter, she metaphorically threw herself at my feet, sacrificing all dignity, to beg for my mercy. I want to forgive her, more than anything. The distance between us makes me physically ache, and being with her, kissing her, holding her, making love to her, would bring me a greater joy than I have ever known. Sadly, logic tries to silence the love in my heart that screams at me to grant her leniency. My brain reminds me that she held my heart in the palm of her hand and she crushed it. I protected her from the world and at times from my own brother. Whether that meant protecting her life or protecting her heart, I did it without question. In return, she conspired with Stefan behind my back and once again made me feel unworthy. It would be the definition of insanity to trust her a second time. I feel like Charlie Brown continually trying to kick the football as Lucy swears she won't pull it away again.

I spent 146 years following my heart, and all it ever brought me was misery and pain. Love consumed me and blinded me, because I flung myself into it without thinking. I gave my heart to a woman that I knew I shouldn't trust. If I've learned anything from Katherine, it's that who I give my heart to is my choice. As a human, I chose badly. Regardless of my feelings, I can't let that happen again.

I'm reminded that before I read her letter, my brother presented me with two options, either forgive Elena or move on. Elena all but said the same thing, but what if there was a third option? What if there was a compromise between my head and my heart? Elena and Stefan think there are only two outcomes to this story, but I can't keep letting other people dictate my choices in life. I resolve from this point forward that no one decides my fate but me. I choose option C).

With my decision made, I drive over to Elena's house. Uncertainty grips tightly in my chest as I walk up the familiar steps. Elena is sitting silently on the porch scribbling furiously in her journal. I'm tempted to ask what she's writing about me, but I decide it probably isn't the moment. She looks up at me with hesitant smile. I smile back pleasantly. Without a single word, Elena's smile widens and she throws herself into my arms. Her tiny arms wrap around my chest, and I struggle to remember my mission in coming here. "You forgive me," Elena assumes whispering in my ear.

I pull back slightly, but I can still feel her hands lighting a fire under her touch. "Bit presumptuous aren't we," I respond half-joking. "How do you know I'm not here to reject your apology," I ask curiously?

Elena seems temporarily thrown by the question, but she moves on to her explanation. "When you're angry with me, you have this wall around you protecting yourself. When you're guarded, I can stare at you for hours but never really see you," she explains. "I know that you forgave me, because when you walked up those steps and I peered into your eyes, I saw you," Elena concludes happily.

"You're right," I admit sheepishly, lowering my arms from Elena's back. "I do forgive you," I confess. Elena's smile only grows wider, and I feel almost guilty for what I have to tell her next. She tries to lean in to kiss me, but I use whatever will power that I have left to gently grab hold of her body and push her away. Sadness and rejection cloud her beautiful features, and I wonder briefly if this is the first time she has ever experienced true rejection. Elena has boys falling all over themselves to win her love, and she isn't accustomed to being denied. I harden my face and try to ignore the pain in her eyes as I attempt to clear up her confusion. "What you did to me was wrong, and I'm not just talking about the night of the ball. You knew how you felt about me for months, and you kept it a secret. Even though you realized that your love was the one thing that I craved the most. The night of homecoming you asked me to trust you, and since then you have abused that trust," I accuse calmly without a trace of my former anger.

Elena struggles to find the words as she fights through her obvious confusion. She only saw this conversation going one of two ways and this wasn't either. "But I apologized for all that," she responds weakly. "You said that you forgive me, if that is true than we can move past this. I want to be with you Damon," Elena pleads. Her arms once again find my body, this time cupping my face. I don't flinch away or make a move to stop her. My own hand even joins hers rubbing small circles on her palms.

I gaze at her lovingly hoping that my affection towards her will soften the next blow. "I do forgive you Elena," I repeat sincerely. "You were scared and lost, and you made mistakes that you regret. No one can understand that better than me. Before I continue, I need you to know that what I'm about to say doesn't come from a place of anger or resentment. I don't say this to be cruel or to hurt you. I forgive you Elena, but I don't trust you, and I won't give my heart to a woman that I can't trust, not again," I finish struggling to maintain my resolve.

It feels close to shattering when I see the tears forming in her eyes. Her tears have always been my kryptonite. Elena is now sputtering incoherent sounds in between sobs. She clears her throat, and I can finally make out actual words. "You can trust me Damon," Elena begs. "I need you to trust me." Both are hearts break as her pleas fall on deaf ears.

"Trust is earned Elena. I can't just hand it over," I explain desperately. "You need to believe me when I tell you that I want to forgive you. I want to forget my misgivings and lose myself in you, but I did that once before and it nearly destroyed me. So please if you think you deserve my trust, give me one good reason why I should give it to you," I challenge hopefully. Secretly hope that she has an answer.

"Because I love you," Elena answers sadly. Her voice breaks with every word. Her brown eyes glisten behind her tears, and her hair is slightly ruffled by the wind. It occurs to me that she has never looked more beautiful or more tragic than she does in this moment.

I find it hard not to wonder if our story is anything more than an epic tragedy. I try to imagine a million scenarios of the two of us together, and none of them end well. A few weeks ago that wouldn't have mattered. I would have heard her confession, and I would have lost myself in the joy of our love, but things are different now, and I owe it to her to explain why. "It's not enough Elena, not this time," I inform her gloomily. "I don't trust that you won't run away again if you get scared or you won't run to Stefan at the first sign of trouble," I confess.

The weight of my words appears to be crushing Elena, and the sight nearly kills me. "So that's it," she whispers. "After everything that we've been through together, you're saying me that there is no hope for you and me," Elena questions?

"There's always hope," I claim. "Just because I don't trust you now, doesn't mean that I never will. You are the woman that I love, and I'm not giving up. I still have faith in you. Prove to me that you are worth trusting, and I will never leave your side again," I promise. As if to demonstrate my point, I pull her into a searing, fiery kiss. My right hand cradles her head as my lips mold perfectly with hers. I hear her heart thud loudly in her chest and feel her blood rushing through her veins. The closeness sets my entire body ablaze, and I swear the next time that she is in my arms it will be forever. Hesitantly, I pull away until only our foreheads are touching. "Consider that incentive to be extra trustworthy in the future," I joke. She smiles with a dazed expression on her face. With one last smile, and a wave goodbye, I make the short walk back to my car feeling an emotion that I had thought was lost to me long ago, hope.

**Okay, so I'm kind of ashamed to say that I write most of my chapters as they come to me without much thought to how the story ends. There is a part of me that wants to end the story right here. It leaves it up to interpretation, and from a writing standpoint, I have said all that I wanted to say with this story. I never intended for this story to have even four chapters. That being said, my other train of thought is to do an epilogue with allusions or flashbacks to what happened in between. Either way, this story will only have one more chapter at most. Let me know what you guys think. **

**As Always Please Leave a Review to Discuss the Good the Bad and the Ugly**


	5. Author's Note

**Hi, everybody. First off I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my story. Your comments meant a lot. Secondly, I wanted to officially say that I am ending the story with the fourth chapter. The majority of people who responded said they would be happy to end the story where it is, and I still need to wrap up my other story **_**Setting Things Right**_**, which may take the rest of my life to finish. For anyone who was wanting a happy ending to this story, remember this, the most wonderful thing about our imaginations is the ability to create our own endings. This story among other things was about choosing your own path, so why not choose your own ending. Some of you I 'm sure can create endings even more fitting than the ones in my own head. I wouldn't want to spoil a story that I'm proud of with an ending that seemed cheesy or out of character. I hope to start another story soon, but I still have ideas floating around in my head. I haven't decided on one just yet. Until then, good night, and good luck.**


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